NATO membership for Ukraine not on agenda- Steinmeier

Monday, December 1, 2014 - 15:41 (EET) Section: Latest news

Any discussions about Ukraine’s membership of NATO are currently premature.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter-Steinmeier said this in an interview with German television channel ZDF on Sunday, Radio Liberty reported.
“As far as I’m concerned, NATO membership for Ukraine is not on the agenda now. At least I do not see Ukraine on the way to joining NATO,” Steinmeier said.
The German minister said that the current conflict with pro-Russian militants in the Donbas might be interesting for Ukrainian leaders in political support which NATO membership would give.
“But we have to stay realistic. We are in the center of a dangerous conflict,” Steinmeier said.
He also said that “diplomatic responsibility” requires him not to fan the flames, giving hope for Ukraine’s membership of NATO, which Russia opposes.